Prevention of iodine deficiency in the Tyumen region: success or failure?

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of regional programs for the prevention of iodine deficiency in the Tyumen region and explore the awareness and behaviors of different groups of the population in matters of iodine prophylaxis in the conditions absence of federal law on universal salt iodization. Materials and methods. The results are presented of the realization of regional programs for the prevention of iodine deficiency in the Tyumen region for the period 1994–2014 years. As part of the medical monitoring examined 18,906 prepubertal children 8–12 years with the use of a unified system of identification of iodine deficiency. The results of sociological research are presented, as part of a public health monitoring conducted by surveying students ( n = 744) and their parents ( n = 677) on a representative sample. Results. Iodine nutrition use was normalization through 3 years against the background of the realization regional program of iodine prophylaxis since 1997 in the Tyumen region, as evidenced by normalization of urinary iodine excretion in prepubertal children. The median urinary iodine in prepubertal children significantly increased from baseline 71.4 mg/l to 142 mg/l in 2009, and as a result decreased the frequency of goiter in children 8–10 years from 87% to 8%, which corresponds to mild endemic goiter region. It noted a lack of awareness of parents of iodine deficiency in the area of residence (54.8% informed their parents of schoolchildren); indicator is linked to gender, age ( p < 0.01), education ( p < 0.001), and where do you live respondents ( p < 0.001). Knowledge of the existence and availability of prevention of iodine deficiency showed 75% of parents and 46.6% of students. Regular use of iodized salt in the home diet (“always used” and “often iodized salt than non-iodised”) 57.4% of parents say. To identify various models of preventive behaviors of parents of schoolchildren in the prevention of iodine deficiency calculated parameters characterizing the connection between awareness and preventive behaviors. It is noted that the high awareness of the respondents does not guarantee the daily implementation of preventive practices. Conclusions. These models have a preventive behavior relationship with socio-demographic characteristics of the population that must be considered in the formation of a regional strategy for the prevention of iodine deficiency among the population forming the motivation for daily preventive action (systematic consumer choice iodized salt).